Posted on

Events

Well,  You might think – what does events have to do with anything – but have a good think about it…

When you get your first customer group all put together, wouldn’t it be nice to put on a nice event for them.  If you can’t produce one – perhaps send them to one, or participate in an existing one – like a tradeshow or something…

Events is part of professional representation – of the business.  Have you had a think about how you could do this?

An event done well, can be the best form of advertising for your business.  An event done poorly, can be worse than receiving nails for your businesses coffin, voluntarily provided from your patrons.

The “secret” to events; is about good preparation, pre-production and management.  I was recently challenged to consider how many events i had done.

As i never considered myself an “event manager”, i never really thought about before.  It almost seemed like a distractions.  Yet, in the face of volunteering to a community event – with so many contributors – but some massive problems due to the leadership of the event (an inexperience) i had to think about it.  Perhaps a hundred, perhaps many more.  It’s not really what i think about overall….

Organising an event, is kinda like setting-up a dinner party or a teenagers house party; or even, a company meeting…  Within each of these events, people take different roles.  It’s important to identify what you do have experience in doing, and what you do not.  People, with events, are generally rather helpful.  If their not helpful, don’t bother (well, in my experience anyhow).

People who know events, know both that events hardly ever run without a problem of somekind.  this is not to suggest they are all at risk of falling over, but rather – even events professionally planned – will have some sort of “hiccup” once it’s started.  The difference really is; what doesn’t go wrong, because it was planned properly.

As always, templates is always a good-place to start when your thinking about how to set-up an event.  It could be a digital event, it could be a wedding, it could be just about anything – if it’s too complicated to remember in your head, and have it sorted – a list, a template, can help.

Beyond the bigger problem of attempting to manage the delivery of the event – the next part, which is somewhat more professional in nature – is return on investment.

This is where the art of being an event manager comes into play.

Posted on

Creating a Presence – Online

Creating an online presence may sound easy – but in reality – it’s time-consuming.

There are some basics that you’ll need – like a website.  Honestly, if your setting-up a business nowadays – it’s better to try to manage some of these things yourself, whilst getting someone to help you, do it.

The internet has evolved, it’s a simple fact.  In user-terms, the biggest growth market is likely to be the elderly; as most kids already use the internet – as natives – and adults increasingly grew-up with it.  Yet, the elderly, our elders – are slowely becoming more and more isolated as their telephone and fax machine (if they’ve got one) continues to become as outdated as their love of writing letters, and sitting down with their family – to look at family photo’s, printed at the local chemist.

There’s a moral to that story; the tools available to set-up and manage websites, is becoming easier, and easier to use, modify and promote.

A good technical person, acting with honesty, should be able to point you in the right direction – and help you set-up your site.    The reality is, WordPress and other related tools – many of which i’ve discussed on this site; do most of the work for you.  It’s most often, almost as difficult as using microsoft word – probably easier than word-perfect (for those who remember those days) and certainly much easier than putting some tape into a machine, to start a computer – or two floppy disks, for that matter…

The difference really is; that although it’s easier, more strait-forward – you still need a helping hand to get onto the right path to begin with – as well as, someone to hold your hand when you get into trouble.

So; assuming you’ve decided that you’ll set-up your own presence.  The first place to start, is probably with a mindmap.  Once you figure out what kinda thing you want to say, and what headings / subheadings you want to use (otherwise known as “information architecture“) then your ready to think about making some pages on a website.

Websites nowadays link into all of these (still emerging) social-web portals.  These portals, described here. all want different information, in-order to maximise your potential in those environments.  There are different philosophies around different sites, and how they should be used.  Generally, start with whatever your most comfortable with, make a plan, and go step-by-step.

One of the most important things really, is content.

Years ago, i / we (can’t remember) coined a term or rule – “the three c’s” – Content, Cash and Customers.

If you’ve got enough to get two of these, then it’s often viable to obtain the other.  With only one, then you have to think about how to get the second – and if you have none – then well, Good Luck!!!

Content, in essence – is intellectual input, formatted into some-sort of “digital” presence; which can be presented to customers.

Cash, is financial resource – the ability to present to a customer.

Customers – people who want to pay for your services.  They’ll pay cash, if the content is right.  If you don’t have the right Content, but you have cash – then you can always use that cash, to develop the right content – and secure the customers.

Creating an online presence, is more than just a presence explaining what the business does.  People like to explore, and a presence is a type of portal in itself, moulding all these different forms of threads, in all there different areas – into a coherent “space” or “network” that can attract customers, attract engagement and help generate more cash, more content, and more customers.

 

Posted on

Logo’s, Style Guides and Artwork

What’s a Logo – well that’s an easy question, which is somewhat pointless answering.

What’s a Style-Guide?  Well, that’s more complicated.

A Style Guide is a document or set of specifications outlining how to set-up the “look and feel” of documents, publications, websites and other materials produced by your organisation.  A Style Guide can either be set-up by a graphic design professional – or developed overtime.

There are many templates to figure out what types of things are necessary for a style guide. a quick google-search for the topic will come-up with some options.

One of the more annoying facets of producing a style guide; is the standardised formats in which the logos and related artwork needs to be produced.

There are a range of different shapes, sizes, and on digital – pixel density measures which are appropriated to logos – when applied to publishing environments.

This is much like advertorial guidelines, for submitting advertising artworks into 3rd party publications.

logo’s need to be simple.  If their not simple, that is a style in itself, but equally – there is still a need to help a user – simplify the logo, so that it can be used in a versatile and transportable manner.

Many hours can be spent in developing a logo; and related basic corporate identity artwork.  in a start-up, if you do not have the skills to do this yourself, or perhaps – not the time – there are a range of 3rd parties who provide basic services, which can easily get you off the ground.

logospire creates logos for people, cheaply.   A quick search on google – will find a bunch of similar sites…  Sometimes, the quickest path – may not be the best, but the easiest.

Posted on

MindMapping – Setting-up a business – Identity

When starting a new business, the need to figure out identity is an important factor.

All businesses end-up with their own identity.  The Australian Corporations Act, states that a company – is it’s own legal entity in the eyes of the law.  In most cases, an ABN is sufficient to start a business – stepping up the process to a business name, which later down the track – if the business is successful – turns into a company.

Considering the businesses objectives is always a good starting point when considering how to provide a new business or company, identity.

– What is it that the business seeks to achieve?

– What does it provide that is valued to current and potential customers?

– How will the business scale?

– How does the business – make money…

I often mindmap out the solutions i’m developing, and trying to structure my thought around it.  There are often a multitude of reasons why someone decides to go start a business.  These underlying reasons change the nature of the start-up, the purpose of the business and the aspects in which the founder of the business, focuses upon developing the business.

In many cases; it’s simply an idea of generating revenue.  People decide it’s a “good idea” to start a business, so they decide they’ll have a “crack” at it.  In These cases, i often find it almost more important to explore the underlying personal reasons for setting-up the business – what is the purpose of doing this action – why a business?

What are the critical things the business is expected to provide its founders – and what is the business designed to provide an audience – of customers.  There is obviously a difference between the needs of a business operator, and a business.  By exploring these needs, both personal and professional alike – a business model is more easily established around the skills and needs of its proprietors.

In other cases; a group, or individual has identified a “business opportunity”.  This business opportunity is often a far more calculated start-up process, where the businesses establishment has less to do with the personal identities of the founders  – and more to do with establishing a path for successful commercialisation of a product or services, for which the founders of the business have some sort of unique relationship to; as required, to facilitate the undertaking of setting-up a business.

In both cases, mindmapping is a powerful tool to explore and visualise the very different, alternate and interwoven aspects to a business.  To get a 15,000 foot view on the needs of setting up a business, providing it identity – and ensuring your work with it, encourages the growth – to fullest potential – of both the new business, and the participants involved in establishing it.

If your looking for some other perspectives on mindmapping – check-out the youtube search.